[06/14/05 - 12:00 AM]TNT Original Dramatic Series the Closer Lands Record as Ad-Supported Cable's Top Original Scripted Series Telecast Ever

[via press release from TNT]

TNT Original Dramatic Series THE CLOSER Lands Record as Ad-Supported Cable�s Top Original Scripted Series Telecast Ever

Series Premiere Delivers More Than 7 Million Viewers

TNT continues to score big with original programming as its latest project, THE CLOSER, starring two-time Golden Globe nominee Kyra Sedgwick, delivered a 4.8 U.S. household rating and 5.3 million households, making it ad-supported cable�s top original scripted series telecast ever, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. The Monday, June 13, 9 p.m. premiere of the series, presented commercial free by Audi, also delivered more than 7 million viewers, making it ad-supported cable�s most watched non-sports telecast for the year to date.

�From INTO THE WEST, which had such a huge opening weekend, to THE CLOSER, which just set a new record, it�s clear that our original productions are making this the summer of TNT,� said Steve Koonin, executive vice president and chief operating officer for TNT and sister network TBS. �We are very proud to have created original dramatic programming that resonates so well with viewers and look forward to extending our successful track record in July with the premiere of our next original drama series, WANTED.�

Ratings highlights for the premiere episode of TNT�s THE CLOSER:

- TNT�s THE CLOSER scored a 4.8 U.S. household rating and delivered 5,259,000 households, making it the current record holder as ad-supported cable�s top original scripted series telecast ever.

- The show also delivered 7,027,000 persons 2+, making it ad-supported cable�s most watched non-sports telecast for the year to date. (The Friday, June 10, premiere of TNT�s INTO THE WEST ranks second for the year to date.)

- Among adults 18-49 (2,574,000) and adults 25-54 (3,004,000), THE CLOSER outdelivered ABC�s The Scholar, CBS�s 48 Hours and Yes, Dear and NBC�s Dateline, as well as all programs on UPN and The WB. THE CLOSER also outperformed all programs for the night on ABC, FOX, UPN and The WB, as well as CBS�s 48 Hours and Yes, Dear and NBC�s Dateline and Las Vegas among households.

- THE CLOSER was cable�s top telecast for the day among households, persons 2+, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.

In TNT�s THE CLOSER, which airs Mondays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), Sedgwick plays CIA-trained, Atlanta detective Brenda Johnson, who has been brought to Los Angeles to head a special unit of the Los Angeles Police Department that handles sensitive, high-profile murder cases. Brenda is tapped to lead the team because she is a world-class interrogator, and when it comes to obtaining confessions that lead to courtroom convictions, she is a closer.

Joining Sedgwick in the series are J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man, Law & Order, Oz) as Johnson�s boss, Assistant Police Chief Henry Pope; Robert Gossett (Arlington Road, The Net) as Captain Taylor, head of the robbery homicide division; and Jon Tenney (You Can Count on Me, Get Real) as FBI Agent Fritz Howard. THE CLOSER comes to TNT from The Shephard/Robin Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. James Duff (The D.A., The Agency), Greer Shephard (Nip/Tuck, The D.A.) and Michael Robin (Nip/Tuck, The D.A., NYPD Blue) serve as executive producers.

Turner Network Television (TNT), television�s destination for drama and one of cable�s top-rated networks, offers original movies and limited series, including Into the West, an epic six-week television event from DreamWorks Television and master storyteller and executive producer Steven Spielberg; original recurring series, including the detective drama The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick, and the crime thriller Wanted, with Gary Cole; powerful one-hour dramas, such as Law & Order, Without a Trace, ER, NYPD Blue, Charmed, Judging Amy and Angel, with Alias joining the line-up in September; broadcast premiere movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is also available in high-definition.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and a leading provider of programming for the television industry.